ok well I'm trying out for drum major this year and at our try outs we have to make up a routine and preform it to marches and then there is the interview part where they interview us and ask us all the questions about stuff like why we want to be drum major and all that good stuff.

well my question is does anyone who also has the interview kind of thing know what other types of questions will be asked and what questions to be expecting?

_________________overahievers: the tallest blade of grass is the first to get cut by the lawnmower...

Well, it should mostly be about your leadership abilities, your priorities, and your philosophies on how the band should function, and what your abilities will be in relation to how the band will function. It's pretty much an assessment of your confidence about yourself and your abilities, as well as an assessment of what your intentions are for the future.

_________________"To think idly is to think for the sake of doing nothing, or to think too much on what one has done and not on what there is to do." - San Manuel Bueno, mártir

well my question is does anyone who also has the interview kind of thing know what other types of questions will be asked and what questions to be expecting?

It is sometimes an understanding that the questions are never discussed. Sometimes the interview is designed to observe your most candid response to reveal your true personality rather than a preparation of who you want your director to think you are.

Just a thought...

_________________mt. carmel trumpet section

'04-'05 The Great Abyss
'05-'06 Music of David Holsinger
'06-'07 The Tempest (music of Samuel Barber)
'07-'08 Legend of the Fifth Sun (Music of Ginastera)

Each director will have different questions. Basically, they just want to get a feel for who you are, and if you're the right for the band.

In all honesty, after trying out for drum major in high school myself, my best advice would be to be 100% honest and not try too hard to "prepare" your answers. Yes, you want to be thinking about what might be asked, because it gives you opportunity to decide how things would make you feel and how you would want to react/lead, but don't dwell on it. Just be yourself. The more honest you are, the more comfortable your interview will be.

In the event that you KNOW you said something that your director didn't like/doesn't want, well just know that you are you and that you did your best.

And I think it's better not to worry TOO much about what questions will be asked, because they'll give you more reason to stress and worry about whether or not you'll be drum major.

Yeah, the stuff everyone's said here has been spot on. Basically you want the director to know who you are, and they'll evaluate your "fitting in," if you will, as the drum major. You don't want to deceive the director into choosing someone different from who he/she thought. The role of the drum major is to lead the band, for the benefit of the band. Gratification of holding the position comes with doing the job well.

_________________"To think idly is to think for the sake of doing nothing, or to think too much on what one has done and not on what there is to do." - San Manuel Bueno, mártir

yeah i know. everyone i have talked to has said to jsut be yourself and thats all i will be. Our previous drum major was,well you could say a "kiss ass" to the director and everybody knew that including the director and i dont want to do or be like that. i know I'm not but i am jsut gunna be myself and if they dont like that then its there lose? I dont want to change because i may know they dont like my awnsers. I just rely think that i can help and everything but at the same time i feel like some/most people in band dont take me seriously. i feel like they wouldnt take me seriously if i got it. I think/know that people see me as ditsy and just stupid at time cause i can have "blond moments" and i dont know if they will take that into consideration too. I know thats why they bring guess judges in and everything buti was also told that our director has proably already decided right now who it will be even thought its not til thursday.
and i know that i am stressing out and worrying about this and everyone has said to just not worry about it and then they say that i will do great andblah blah blah blah but at the same time they are saying the same thing to everyone and that doesnt feel to great but yeah.
sorry my random gab/confessions/just needs to talk.

but yeah anyone else have any other good advice to help me on anything? anything they did that was good or bad.
anything to do or not do?

_________________overahievers: the tallest blade of grass is the first to get cut by the lawnmower...

You're pretty much all set. Your mentality of "just be yourself" is all you really need. And when you say that you don't think a lot of people will take you seriously, I had the same problem. I screwed around a lot outside of band, but when it came time to get down to business, that's exactly what I did, because it was necessary. But the thing is that if there's a lack of respect towards you as a leader, you can't just expect to have it materialize and just appear overnight. Respect is something that needs to be earned. It's not always easy, but it's absolutely necessary to be successful.

_________________"To think idly is to think for the sake of doing nothing, or to think too much on what one has done and not on what there is to do." - San Manuel Bueno, mártir

One thing not to do is to say anything that you dont really mean, it might catch up to you later. Anways, I'm pretty much behind what everyone else is saying. Be yourself and if you are not chosen, so be it. The whole point of being the Drum Major is to help the band become better, and if the directors decide that the best person to help the band improve is not you, then so be it.

thanks everyone for the help but unfortunantly i barely lost assisant. they said that it was between me and my friend for assisatant and they thought i was a better marcher and that i had a better routien but they said that they thought she was a little bit mroe confident. they said they were even thinking about having for the first time ever one drum major and 2 assistants but they decided against it. but i think it will be a good year. but they also said that i am pretty much garentied it for the next year but that doesnt mean I'm gunna stop working and i will still do everything that i feel is right and needs to be done.
thanks for the help.

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